2005 Dodge Ram 3500 - The Beast

It's Big, Bad, And Blue

One thing we never get tired of seeing is heavy-duty trucks slammed hard with little or no disregard to the pavement. This isn't to say the methods used to reach the ground are half-witted shortcuts; it's just a little unfair to the everyday custom truck owner trying his best to get noticed at a big show. There's just some sort of unexplainable mania that shrouds all judgment when noticing a 'bagged dualie shining way off in the distance.

Kelly Bise can identify that feeling of exhilaration that comes only with seeing a big truck's stance hacked down to weed level. He just had to build himself a laid-out, Pro Street-style dualie of his very own, and once he got his mitts on an '05 Dodge Ram 3500 six-wheeler, the first phase of its customization should be no surprise to anyone. The Ram was checked in to the Slaughter House, in Tomball, Texas, where Mark and Bryan Fehrle fabbed up custom upper and lower control arms and a chrome-plated parallel four-link with a Panhard bar. Slam Specialties RE8s serve as the 'bags of choice, and to inject air into them with the quickness, two Viair 480 compressors and 1/2-inch copper hard lines have been routed to get the not-so-light truck back up to a speed bump clearing driving height. The bed not only showcases a peek of the impressive rear suspension setup, but it houses a bank of four Optima Blue Top batteries and a few performance items as well. Bise Welding, Kelly's own custom venture, rolled the bed floor, which is an awesome sight. Well, that depends if you're into excellent metal craftsmanship, paint, and chrome.

If you were paying attention to the blob of words above, there was mention of go-fast goods located in the bed. Well, those pieces just happen to be four beautiful bottles of instant speed. The 5.9L Cummins turbo diesel heart, which was beefed up by DI Performance, in Houston, features some serious add-ons that have the Dodge not only looking mean, but acting like it too. Also on display in the bed is a 5-inch exhaust system that feeds to the 8-inch exhaust stack that spits out plumes of black smoke- a sign that should be interpreted by would-be rivals to back the heck off. Those not heeding Kelly's forewarning are sure to regret their mistake of stepping to The Beast. An ATS intake manifold, twin turbo kit, and ceramic-coated headers come together to create a monster of a horsepower factory underneath the hood. And just to give an idea of just how much power the six-cylinder makes post-tweaking, Kelly informed us that his latest testing shows 875 ponies and 1,620 lb-ft of torque are now being directed toward the concrete. To make the most out of these new figures, a Bully Dog programmer with the Crazy Larry tune stacked with a TST PowerMax programmer ensures not a single horse or pound of torque is squandered.

With the Ram lying low and barking with the big dogs, it was time for the dualie to get a minor physical reconditioning. To increase head-on intimidation, Kelly had Alfredo Dima, of Dima Wheels fame, cut him a unique grille design that is sure to catch on quick amongst the custom crowd. Suicide rear doors and relocated handles, and smoked markers and taillights catch loads of attention, but the two-tone paintwork performed by Alamo Customs, in Alvin, Texas, is what initially captivates the Ram's audience. The breaking graphics laid by Patrick Reid mimic chrome accents, and top off a truly winning color combo.

Some would think that this Dodge's assets are only skin-deep, but a peek inside the cab would reveal one of the craziest audio networks we've seen inside the confines of a custom heavy-duty. Not only does it feature four Kicker 15-inch L7 subs, two Kicker zx2500.1 amps, and an array of Kicker components, the presentation is what really attracts the eye. Each sub's chassis has been color matched, and blue backlit plexiglass can be found everywhere, which shows that Kelly went the extra mile when trying to find a worthwhile substitution for the entire rear seating area. Two 12-inch BMW monitors have been attached to a motorized track, and can be viewed and stashed with the push of a button. Kingpin Kustoms, in Dickinson, Texas, fabricated and wired the entire system that is controlled by an Alpine head unit. The audio components were carefully selected and strategically positioned and tuned in order to provide a truly unbelievable experience in fidelity. The setup won First Place in sound quality and SPL at Texas Heatwave, so don't mistake this truck for a lame, one trick pony. The A/C controls have been relocated to the front of the custom center console, and the seats have been covered with charcoal colored leather and blue 'suede for further appeal.

As anyone can see, Kelly's dualie is definitely a beast in more ways than one, and to get to this caliber, he's taken full advantage of invaluable assistance from some of the industry's top resources. Special thanks go out to Mark and Brian at Slaughter House, David Lott at DI Performance, Heath Moore at Kingpin Kustomz, Clint at ATS Diesel Performance, Kelly at Kicker, Robert at Alamo Customs, and Mickie for all the support. Be on the lookout for this truck at a show nearest you. You'll quickly learn that none of our praise is fabricated or undeserved.